Iconic artists aside, Glastonbury has become known for its cultural criticism through music. It has gotten very controversial once British artist Bobby Vylan generated anti-Israel chants at the event. In his set on the West Holts stage, Vylan led festival-goers in the chant “Death, death to the IDF.” This bold move drew the ire of state and national political figures as well as environmental organizations.
Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the chants as “appalling,” arguing that they are especially concerning because they were beamed to the living rooms of families watching at home. Even the Israeli embassy condemned her rhetoric as “deeply disturbing.” They wrote that, among other things, it normalizes extremist, antisemitic language that calls for violence against Jews. Even Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, denounced the scenes as “grotesque.” In her statement, she made clear that celebrating violence toward Jews is not just an edgy form of artistic expression.
The incident occurred during a festival known for hosting nearly 4,000 performances, where artists often engage with pressing social issues through their work. Though Vylan stole the show, during his set he made waves by bringing out the Irish rap trio Kneecap, deepening the controversy. During their set, Kneecap suggested to fans that they “start a riot” in support of a bandmate facing legal troubles. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, a member of Kneecap, has faced charges related to holding a Hezbollah flag at a previous gig.
Streeting to tell us about the impact of that kind of rhetoric at a music festival, but it’s not hard to imagine the real-world harms of such invocations. He highlighted that Israeli citizens have suffered severe violence in conflict zones, stating, “All life is sacred… I find it pretty revolting we’ve got to a state in this conflict where you’re supposed to sort of cheer on one side or the other like it’s a football team.”
Avon and Somerset police are now eagerly awaiting video evidence of the performances. They need to know if any criminal acts occurred that would warrant a criminal investigation in light of the performance and ensuing outcry.
“We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts stage at Glastonbury festival this afternoon. Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.” – Avon and Somerset police
The Israeli embassy’s statement urged UK festival organizers to “condemn” BDS and “take a stand.” It called on our public leaders to publicly denounce such violent rhetoric, too. They highlighted why chants such as “Death to the IDF” and “From the river to the sea” call for the destruction of Israel. These phrases therefore not only overtly demand the cessation of Jewish self-determination, but implicitly do so as well. The embassy called on concert organizers to do the right thing. Yet, they warned of the grave consequences of spreading similar narratives on far-reaching platforms.
“Chants such as ‘Death to the IDF,’ and ‘From the river to the sea’ are slogans that advocate for the dismantling of the state of Israel and implicitly call for the elimination of Jewish self-determination.” – The Israeli embassy
Streeting understood the fundamental importance of freedom of expression. He stressed that it should not go too far and should never lead to incitement and hatred. He admitted there was no consensus on the world stage. He insisted that we need to be able to identify the line between expressing our support and calling for violent action.
“Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out – especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms.” – The Israeli embassy
The reaction from Glastonbury organizers was to double down, insisting that they are not responsible for the views/opinions espoused by artists. As Emily Eavis, one of the festival’s co-organizers, stated in their commitment to providing a stage 50/50 across the board to diverse voices. She understood that talk about the fate of the world can become an emotional affair.
“There have been a lot of really heated topics this year, but we remain a platform for many, many artists from all over the world and, you know, everyone is welcome here.” – Emily Eavis
As this controversy plays out, it prompts difficult but necessary discourse about the limits of artistic expression and accountability in the public sphere. Political leaders and organizations are responding with outrage. They write with growing alarm over the normalization of violent rhetoric across our civic and cultural landscape.